His Last Moments
by FreekyDisaster18
Summary: *COMPLETE* It's been fourteen years since their murder. The defendant is about to receive the lethal injection when his daughter tries to prove his innocence. Can Rush and the team help?
1. Wedding Disasters

**27th March, 1990**

The six women clustered in the back vestry of the church. Each one beautifully dressed for a wedding. The bride wore a large white dress that took up most of the room but no one cared because the bride, Lucy, looked breathtaking and it was her special day. The five bridesmaids - Linda, Carrie, Hattie, Jemma - were all clustered around her, fiddling with her hair and the dress to make sure she could be as perfect as requested. Their mother kept taking photos of different moments, in different angles. She was starting to annoy everyone.

"Mother, will you stop!" Lucy said laughing as she watched Linda pour six glasses of champagne.

"I can't! This might be my only chance."

"Thanks mum." Hattie muttered laughing as she looked over at her sister, rolling her eyes.

"Well with your dating pattern, it's obviously not going to happen is it!" Their mother argued before taking another photograph.

"You are this close to getting kicked out of this vestry." Hattie warned before moving over and smiling at her sister.

"Dad's not here." The girl croaked, tears yelling in her eyes as she took hold of her sister's hand. The two of them looking at the other through the mirror.

Their dad had worked out on their mother only a few months before. She'd told him she'd had enough of his violent moods, of continually being his punch bag and he'd just left. No questions asked. Maybe it was for the best but Lucy had still wanted him here today, to give away his baby.

"He's not that special, Luce. Besides. Benjamin can give you away." Hattie whispered before moving out to find their baby brother.

The bridesmaids had started down the aisle. Hattie smiled as she took hold of her groomsman's arm, her head moving swiftly so that her fringe would move out of her eyes. She headed down the aisle and smiled at Dale, the groom.

The back doors opened and his gaze moved over her. She sighed as she watched his eyes open wider, almost in horror. She looked over her shoulder and saw her father stepping into the church, his shirt covered in blood, his eyes glossed over as he walked towards her.

"Hattie, they're dead!" Hewhispered stroking her cheek before falling to the floor, tears in his eyes.

Hattie ran towards the vestry. A scream tore free from her throat as she saw her brother and sister slain across the vestry. Lucy's white dress stained crimson.

Jake Oakley was arrested. Pleaded Not Guilty. He was ofund guilty. Sentenced to death.

The Case was closed.


	2. He's Innocent!

Scotty Valens was not in the mood for work this morning as he slowly entered the precinct, his hands rubbing at his tired eyes. He hadn't been out the night before so he didn't know what was bothering him. It was probably that stupid virus that was going around and he knew he should be at home in bed but that would drive him insane. He slouched in his chair and stared over at Rush through narrowed eyes.

"You look rough, Scotty." She muttered without even looking away from her computer.

"I feel it, Lily." He grumbled taking a long swig of the water bottle he'd brought in with him. "Let's just say, I wish I wasn't here."

"None of us would miss you." Vera taunted from his table causing Scotty to look over at him wryly, flashing an unkind gesture with two fingers before looking back at Lily.

"If Stillman catches you here like that you'll be out of a job." She warned lightly.

"I'm not hung-over, Lily…" He grumbled before noticing her sit up in her chair, her eyes over at the door.

"I'm sorry to intrude but I was told to come here?" The shy timid voice of a woman came from behind him and he turned in his chair to look at her.

A tall, ginger woman stood there in a summer white dress with silly gold heels on with black rose lace. He realised that she obviously some money behind her due to the way her hair was expensively styled and from the labelled bag she was clutching, almost afraid to let it go. The look on her face was as tired as his with a hint of fear.

"How may we help you, miss…"

"Mrs Thyme." She whispered moving over, her heels clacking on their floor. It was weird to hear that sound seeing as their female agents wore flats. "I'm here about a case."

"Yes?" Lily probed indicating for the woman to sit down on the chair. The woman did so before opening her bag, the hands noticeably trembling.

"If anyone finds out I'm here they'll go spare with me." She explained looking over at Lily before pushing a photo towards her. Lily lifted it.

In the photo was Mrs Thyme along with another man and woman. The other woman was wearing an expensive wedding dress and all three of them looked happy. Why was she been shown this?

"That's my sister and brother. The photo was taken on her wedding day fourteen years ago." The woman sniffed before proceeding, "The wedding didn't take place because they were both brutally murdered in the vestry…"

"Your father, Jake Oakwood was arrested, charged, found guilty and put on death row." Stillman's voice made Lily jump. Mrs Thyme looked up at their boss, a wry smile on her face.

"I don't think it was my father anymore." She whispered gently digging into her bag again before handing over a new letter.

**I know who did it.  
****It wasn't daddy dearest.  
****Sure, the old man was a drunk.  
****But murder wasn't in his veins.  
****You know that. I know that.  
****Maybe you should find out the truth before he's murdered too!**

"I was so upset when I found that in my letterbox. I've never been to see my dad in the past fourteen years because I blamed him for the deaths of Lucy and Benjamin."

"Your dad was found covered in their blood?" Stillman added.

"He had just left the vestry, maybe he'd touched them. They were his babies for God's sake!" It was obvious now that the woman was starting to get agitated. Lily rose from her seat.

"We'll look into the case, Mrs Thyme. Find out who did it."

Mrs Thyme stood up and for half a second Lily could swear she caught a glimpse of the vulnerable woman she'd once been.

"You better because that bastard robbed me of my brother, sister and father." She said in a tone that none of them thought possible of her. She closed her handbag after taking the wedding photo back and placing it neatly inside. "I'll be hearing from you?"

"Definitely." Lily assured the woman before watching her leave. When she'd gone, she turned to Stillman.

"You know the case?"


	3. Case Review

Stillman sighed as he pulled down the box from it's place on one of the top shelves, the black marker pen reading "CLOSED" meant that this thing should never have to see light of day again. And he'd been glad to lock it away.

The case had been brutal. Two innocent people slain in the vestry of the church by their father. Both excited about the girl getting married. Their older sister had been walking down the aisle, her smile bright as she stared at the husband-to-be before witnessing his face fall as the clumsy drunk stumbled into the building and clutched at her bridesmaid dress, transferring blood onto it.

"He pleaded guilty." Was all Stillman grumbled as he put the box down on the table in front of Lily, his head suddenly hurting as he thought of how ridiculous it actually was to be investigating this again.

"Maybe he did that to make his wife happy, boss." Lily looked over at him. "What ever happened to the wife?"

"She re-married a wealthy man who moved her abroad but I can see that she's brought back for this investigation."

"Why do you think the oldest daughter wants this re-opened?" Scotty asked taking hold of some of the photos, his face falling at how pretty the sister had been before some bastard had carved at her face. "I mean, what if we prove that it was daddy dearest? How will she be able to cope?"

"Hattie Oakley was the bravest kid you could have ever met. She was the one who fought her father's case against her mother. Mrs Oakley believed that Jake had outright and done it in cold blood. Hattie said no matter how mean or evil her father was, he'd never harm Lucy or Benjamin."

"Yet, Lydia Oakley didn't believe?"

"The case was stacked up against him, Lily." Stillman argued. "He came out of the vestry covered in his children's blood, his breath was tinted with alcohol and apparently his wife had uninvited him behind Lucy's back. I believe that was enough evidence to go by."

"Ever find the weapon?"

"Nope. The medical examiner said that it was a simple kitchen knife. The cuts on their bodys were blunt and hazy."

"A well used kitchen knife?"

"Yeah." Stillman said before looking down at Lily. "Jake Oakwood is the most cold hearted bastard you'll ever meet, Lily. He looked at me and told me he'd slain his children without a single flicker of emotion."

"How long until he faces the needle?" Scotty asked flicking through the notes, trying to find the piece of information he seeked.

"Two years." Stillman said off the top of his head.

Lily looked over at Scotty before moving down to look at the photos again in front of her.

"Okay, who gets to go visit the big man in prison?" Vera said moving down towards them, his hands running through his hair.

"You got us in?"

"I got you in." Vera said grinning.

"Come on, Valens." Lily said taking hold of the box and moving it up their office. "We get to go talk to the father."

Stillman looked over at Jeffries and Vera. "I want to know more about Hattie Thyme." He said looking at them. "Be careful around her. She used to get defensive real easily." He warned heading into his office.

The two men swapped looks before sighing. "We always get stuck with the hormonal women." Vera grumbled.

"Ah, but I can handle them. Around you, they get pretty defensive."

"Bite me." Vera teased before picking up his coat. "Let's go see Hattie."


	4. Manipulation

The man sat at the table, his hands restraint with metal handcuffs and looking down at the hands that were being held tight together. Lily walked over, catching a glimpse of the drunkard that Jake Oakley had been at the time of the murder. His handsome suit soiled in a pale crimson liquid.

"How may I help you officers?" Jake asked politely, his tired eyes staring straight at Lily as she sat down in front of him.

"Your case has been re-opened."

"Why?"

That was normally an usual question for the perpertrator to ask. They normally got excited at the prospect of someone else being the one who had done it and they might have the chance to be freed.

"Why wouldn't we re-open your case?"

"I have spent the last thirteen years of my life in this place and in two years I reach the time where I'm considered for the lethal injection. Why would I get excited about getting out?"

"Did you do it, Mr Oakley?"

Something flickered in the man's eyes and Lily saw it. This man really was innocent

"Why the hell did you lie to detective Stillman all those years ago, Mr Oakley?"

"Don't call me Mr Oakley, detective. You lose all right to respect the minute you put on this orange suit and wear chains." He said holding up his wrists.

"Jake, why did you say you'd done it?"

"I was a drunk back then, detective. I couldn't remember if I'd been the bastard that had killed my children. I just remember waking up in a prison cell listening to the hysterical screams of my ex-wife."

"So you just thought you did it?"

"It's what I was led to believe."

"Led to believe…"

"It was what my wife told me to say…"

_The woman paced the small cell as she looked at the man before sitting down in front of him, her teeth teasing her lips. Jake had always thought that Lydia was beautiful when she was thinking. She looked as if she could fix the world when she wore that expression. _

"_Jake, you killed my children."_

"_I don't remember doing that and I'd never Lucy or Benjamin, Lydia. You know that."_

_He moved forward to take hold of her hands and she pulled them away, her hands raking through the short black hair. _

"_You don't understand, do you? If someone doesn't own up to this murder then Hattie is going to live her life forever focusing on saving her brother and sister's soul."_

"_What are you talking about?"_

"_I don't want to lose Hattie too, Jake."_

"_You and Hattie have never been really close, Lydia." _

"_Well this is my chance, Jake." She sighed as she leant back against the seat. "I have the right to fix my relationship with her once and for all!" _

"_I don't understand what you are talking about?"_

"_If you admit to doing it you'll probably get a more lenient sentence…"_

"_Lydia, I don't remember doing it…"_

"_You don't have to remember. You just have to say you stabbed our children repeatedly until they died."_

"_I would never…"_

"_That doesn't matter, Jake. You're their only suspect anyway." She stood up, her hand rubbing over her face. "If you ever loved your family, you'd do this for me." She whispered softly._

Jake looked over at the officers, a sad smile on his face. "I lost my whole family in the short space of a month that year."

"You let Lydia manipulate you like that?" Scotty asked shocked at the idea, not really sure if he believed him.

"I loved the woman and thought she loved me too."

"Didn't relaise she had a rich man in the wings waiting to whisk her away to hotter climates."

"We'll be back, Jake." Lily said as she stood up causing him to laugh.

"It's not as if I'm going anywhere, is it?"

***

As they left the prison, Scotty looked over at Lily. "Lydia Oakley is one hell of a woman."

"I wonder who she could have been covering for."

"You actually believe his story?"

"Why wouldn't i?"

"Maybe because he's had at least thirteen years to move it to perfection!"

Lily just shrugged as she moved towards the car. They needed Lydia Oakley back in the country, as soon as possible.


	5. Stalked

**Had time to kill in General Studies so I thought I'd update for you all :)  
You go for months without a single chapter to having three in so little time...**

*******

The two officers entered the house and they could have sworn they caught a glimpse of what the woman looked like fourteen years ago, her hair unbrushed and her wardrobe consisting mainly of hippy like clothes. That was quickly replaced with the stern bun and the cream suit.

"How may I help you officers?"

"We're here to understand a few things about your father's case." Vera muttered gruffly stepping into the sitting room.

"What's there to understand? I have a letter sent to me explaining he is innocent."

"Our boss was on your father's case, Mrs Thyme. You'll probably remember him, Detective John…"

"Stillman." She finished for them before laughing lightly. "I knew my dad's case back to front, left to right. Nothing slipped past me unless it was obviously something confidential."

"Do you realise that your father admitted that he did it?"

"My dad was a drunkard. He couldn't even remember getting himself dressed that morning. How the hell would he remember butchering Lucy and Benjamin?"

Vera and Jeffries realised that this comment had been said a good few times now in clearing and they sighed. Drunk men could do anything they wanted and forget what they wanted just to make sure no bother came their way.

"Mrs Thyme…"

"Please Detective Jeffries, call me Hattie." She said quickly before smiling. "I might look prim but I actually prefer being called Hattie."

"Hattie, do you know of anyone that would want to hurt Lucy?"

Hattie sat down in one of the leather arm chairs, her right hand itching her left as she looked at the large fireplace. Jeffries and Vera both took seats as they watched her.

"I never mentioned this because I didn't want to upset Dale…"

"Dale being?" Vera asked causing Hattie to look after him.

"The groom." She took a deep breath. "An old flame of Lucy's had started to become besotted by her, he believed that Lucy held the moon and started following her. She was getting creeped out by him a lot…"

_Lucy ran into the flat that she shared with her sister and slammed the door shot, the bolt being pulled across a lot quicker than anyone could imagine. Hattie rose from the couch, forgetting about the pillow she'd been hugging._

"_Lucy, what's wrong?"_

"_Matty followed me again, Hattie." She breathed heavily, her hands raking through her hair as she moved towards her sister hearing footsteps outside. Someone started to knock at the door._

"_Luce, I just need to speak to you." Matty's whiney voice came through the door and Hattie moved forward, taking holding of her sister's hand before opening the door._

"_Matthew! You can't keep following her."_

"_Hattie, I need to be with her. She's everything to me!" The dark haired guy cried out, his hands shaking as he reached out to touch her causing Lucy to flinch away from his hand. This angered the man a little. "I've moved away from all that, Lucy."_

"_Stop following her, Matty. Or I'll phone the police." Hattie warned closing the door and taking the scared Lucy into her arms._

She swallowed past the lump in her throat. "Matthew had always been good with his fists. That's why Lucy left him in the first place." She laughed. "When he learnt about her furthering relationship with Dale, he went berserk and started to send her little letters saying how no one was going to have her but him."

"And you didn't report these letters?"

"We had no proof he wrote them, officer. Besides, they were just letters. He had stopped following her!"

"Do you still have these letters?" Hattie rose from her chair.

"I have everything of theirs." She whispered leaving the room before returning a few minutes later holding a shoe box. "Every letter is in there."

"We'll need to take these."

"That's fine. Just make sure they're returned to me." She said softly.

Vera sighed as he left the house holding the shoe box, his hand rifling through amazed at how many letters there actually were.

"It's upsetting knowing that all she has left of her sister is the letters her obsessed boyfriend sent her through the post."

"And the obsession to find her killer."

"That too."


	6. Benjamin's Past

The detectives sat around the desk staring at the information in front of them. If Hattie had been so determined to find her sister's killer, why would she keep back the information about this Matthew character? Stillman found himself voicing the question out loud to his team.

"Hattie was close to Dale. Maybe she didn't want to hurt their friendship. She probably feels if she could have done something to prevent it from happening."

Everyone nodded as if they were taking, Lily's statement for gospel before Stillman lifted one of the photos.

"Anyone learn anything about Benjamin?"

"How d'ya mean boss?"

"Well Scotty. Whenever I asked about Benjamin back then, they looked around at each other before silencing."

"You think he got in with a bad crowd?"

"I don't know."

"What do you want to do about it?"

"Jeffries, Vera. Find out as much as you can about Benjamin Oakley as possible. Rush, Valens. You're going to hunt down this Matthew Rydel."

After giving his orders, Stillman headed off to his office and the four detectives looked at each other, their eyebrows raised.

"You think there anything on the Benjamin line?"

"I don't know." Lily said as she put on her jacket, moving her fringe out of her eyes.

***

They knocked on the door before smiling at the man that answered the door, a small child in his arms clinging to his neck.

"Matthew Rydel?"

"How may I help you, detectives?" He asked moving out the way as he looked at their badges.

"We're investigating the murders of Lucy and Benjamin Oakley. You remember them?" Lily asked softly as she moved into the living room, watching as he put down his daughter so that she wouldn't listen in.

"That case was solved fourteen years ago. Their dad was guilty."

"That's not what we believe anymore."

"Why?"

"A note and the fact Lucy had an obsessive ex boyfriend that had been abusive to her."

Lily watched as the realisation dawned on his face that it was actually him they were there to investigate.

"That's slander!" He spat angrily, his hands clenching into fists and Lily caught a glimpse of what Lucy had once had to put up with. "Get out of my house!" He barked moving to the door and opening it.

As they left, Lily looked over her shoulder. "Someone is hiding something."

"And not very well, either." Scotty commented.

***

Jeffries sighed as he read through as much information as he could before hearing a click from his computer.

"We have our boy."

***

They moved into the office. "Benjamin Oakley was arrested twice for dealing."

"Oh?"

"Another case of a good kid falling into a bad crowd." Stillman grumbled.

"He also pressed charges against a guy called Lorenzo for assault. Lorenzo claimed Benjamin had been hanging too close to his "bitch"."

Stillman cocked his head to the side.

"Benjamin was having a relationship with the ganglords girl?"

"It appears so."

"Did Hattie know about this?" Stillman asked realising that the helpful woman from years ago had been a bigger hindrance then a help. The two officers shrugged. "I want her in here and want you to find this Lorenzo."


	7. Spanner In The Works

Lily and Valens came back into the precinct and sighed as they knocked on Stillman's door. He beckoned for them to come in.

"Find him?"

"He aint talking, boss." Valens commented freely, his hands raking through his hair as he tried to remember when he'd last took some aspirin.

"Okay."

"Want us to bring him in?"

"Not yet." The two detectives swapped confused looks.

"Boss?" Lily asked moving to sit down at one of the chairs.

"We think we focused too much on Lucy. No one ever thought about Benjamin."

"So what?"

"He was in with a dodgy crowd, owed money, was laying down with the wrong man's girl." Stillman stood up. "I'm about to go interview Harriet Oakley, again."

***

Hattie Oakley sighed as she sat in the interrogation room, her hands shaking as she realised that something had happened to cause them to rudely drag her in here. She sighed as she dragged her hand through the loose ginger hair, her lips being attacked by her lips.

"We know about Benjamin, Harriet."

"It's Hattie." She said softly to Stillman, her orange painted nails tapping against the cold metal of the table. "And what is it exactly you know about him?"

"About the drugs. The short stints in prison and his case against Lorenzo."

"That was dropped. Lorenzo and Benjamin made friends again after that. They realised that Sammy was lying about the claims of Benjamin hitting on her so they could cause an argument."

"What did you think of Lorenzo, Harriet."

"It's Hattie. And Lorenzo was a bit of weirdo. OTT in his belief's but he was a great man. He flirted a little too heavily with the girls, treated Sammy like crap, believed he owned the boys but he was a great guy to know."

"Hattie… Do you think he could have hurt Benjamin and Lucy?"

Hattie looked down at the table, her eyes focusing on the trembling hands as she realised that there was no way she could definitely say Lorenzo hadn't hurt her brother and sister because he'd threatened her only a few days before.

"It would be all my fault." She whispered.

"Harriet…"

_The music blasted out in the club and Hattie immediately regretted letting Lucy talk her into coming here. She hated the loud commotion of nightclubs. She was much more the small bar type of girl. However it was Lucy's hen night and everything was going to be just as Lucy had dreamt. Her sister squealed as she took hold of her sister's hand, holding her close to her. It was her hen night and Hattie planned on getting her drunk. So she headed to the bar. She froze as a pair of arms wrapped around her middle. _

"_Alright, Harriet."_

"_Lorenzo." She said in pure disgust at the idea he was touching her._

"_Have you seen your brother recently?"_

"_He'll be out with Dale."_

"_Convenient."_

"_Realistic." She retorted shaking him away._

"_He owes me a lot of money, you know." The man drawled pushing her back against the bar, the back of his hand caressing his cheek as the other moved round to wrap around her arm. _

"_That's not my problem, Lorenzo!" _

"_Well you know I might cancel the debt if you give me something more…" He stopped and looked her up and down. "Worthwhile." He sneered moving closer to her, his lips a few moments away from his. _

"_You make me sick." She snapped lifting her knee so it made contact with his groin. She wriggled out from underneath him and went to escape but the man took hold of her wrist and pulled her back against him._

"_You'll regret that, Hattie."_

"_Lorenzo, you wouldn't hurt me."_

"_Who said I'd hurt you?" He laughed. "It's them I'd hurt because it would devastate you." He whispered in her ear before moving and taking hold of her lips lightly before laughing as she harshly pushed him away. "Wish Lucy good luck tomorrow!" He said with a grin on his face that frightened Hattie but she didn't know why. She pulled away from him and bit her lip, unsure of what it was he'd do. _

The young woman looked at Stillman, tears falling down her cheeks as she realised that this information could have saved her father.

"Lorenzo loved us."

"Harriet…"

"Stop!" She ordered taking a deep breath before continuing, "he was a little odd in the ways he attracted women back then but he's fine now. He's great." She whispered.

"How do you know this, Harriet?"

Hattie stopped talking for a few moments before looking back down at the table.

"I married him."


	8. Meeting Lorenzo

Stillman stepped out of the interrogation room and looked over at Valens and Rush, his eyebrows raised with disbelief but a faint smile at the shock that they wore.

"So this guy was a jerk to her all those years and was sexually disgusting but she married him?" Lily said trying not to call the woman names.

"Harriet Oakley hated Lorenzo fourteen years ago from what I've heard. Something must have changed her mind about him." Stillman commented.

"Or something must have changed him…?" Scotty commented clicking his fingers as he stood up straight looking between the two of them. "Everyone knew how close Hattie was to her brother and sister? What if Lorenzo knows something and wanted to protect her."

"What if Lorenzo did it…" Lily said looking over at them, her teeth biting her bottom lip.

"Then you need to go talk to him."

***

The two officers smiled as they entered Hattie's house again. How had they not noticed the wedding photos earlier was beyond them but it gave them something to talk about back in the precinct.

"Lorenzo Thyme?" Vera asked as he sat down looking at the man that was sat opposite him.

The man laughed, "My parent's christened me Lawrence. But I wanted something Italian like my grandfathers name, Giovanni."

"Ah. We understand." Jeffries said thinking that it was crazy changing your name to be your grandfather. "I suppose it wasn't easy being a ringleader with a name like Lawrence, was it?"

"You're not kidding. I got the shit ripped out of me more times than necessary at times."

"And Lorenzo gave you a better rep." Vera said nodding his head as he fit back the urge to laugh.

"Exactly. Right detectives, something tells me you aren't actually here to talk to me about my name."

"Lucy and Benjamin Oakley."

The man looked sad as he started to shake his head, "They were great people. The whole family."

"How long have you and Hattie been married?"

"Eleven years now."

"Why did you marry her?"

"Because I loved her." He said a little too quickly and Vera smiled.

"Oh come on, you just wanted Hattie for sex. She knew that too so what changed your mind?"

"Nothing." The man spat standing up and starting to pace behind the couch before stopping to turn to look at them both. "I wanted to protect her."

"From who?"

"From herself!" He shouted. "She had this stupid obsession with solving the murders of her brother and sister. She was the only one who didn't believe old Jake didn't do it." He laughed as he sat back down. "The old man couldn't take a piss without making a mess. How was he going to be able to kill his two children?"

"Why could you protect her?"

"I…"

"You was there at the wedding, Lorenzo."

"How do you know that?"

"Common sense really. You warned Hattie in your threat the night before you was going to do something."

"I didn't kill them." He quickly protested holding out his hands to stop them from jumping to any conclusions.

"We never said you did, Lorenzo. We think you saw something."

"I didn't see anything."

"Lorenzo, do you want us to tell Hattie that it was you?" Jeffries commented leaning back against the couch. "Because you're our prime suspect." He turned to look at Vera. "I think she'd be devastated to know that her husband was the one who stole her family away."

"Who knows what she'd do."

"She could do anything. Murder. Suicide." Jeffries shrugged. "Even worse, she could just simply leave you and that would hurt because I know you truly love her. Back when you was a foolish young man you believed the only way to win her was to be a jerk, crude and plain out disgusting. It was your pulling techniques. It normally worked too for everyone but Hattie."

"Hattie was sure different. She had more fight than you did."

"And she could just leave you instantly."

"With the mere click of her fingers."

"Stop!" The man pleaded looking over at them, desperation in his eyes. "I'll tell you what I saw."

"That would be nice."

"I did go to threaten Benjamin but knew that Lucy was a more easier target. She'd be a lot more easier than the knucklehead I was after."

_The man moved into the vestry and laughed as he saw the pair of them together, talking about Lucy's last minute nerves. _

"_Benjamin, Benjamin, Benjamin. You couldn't make this any easier for me could you?"_

"_Back off, Lorenzo." Benjamin said through gritted teeth, his hands clenched as he started forward but was held back by Lucy taking hold of his arm._

"_Lorenzo, please don't cause anything today…"_

"_Lucy. You look radiant." He said taking hold of her hand and kissing it. "If you look this sensual your sister must look a right piece of tail."_

"_Leave Hattie alone!" Benjamin warned._

"_Not until you give me what I'm owed, Oakley."_

"_You'll get it Lorenzo. I swear. Hattie is going to loan me your money."_

"_That's good." He turned to leave. "Lucy, put a good word in for me with your sister. She might like me then."_

_As he left, he bowed his head at Mrs Oakley and her partner as they entered the vestry. It didn't even cross his mind that they were late._

"Her mother?"

"Yeah, with that beefy bloke she married. You know, Hattie makes us go over there every Christmas and I never remember that man's name…"


	9. The Mother Returns

Lily sat at her desk, her hands buried aggressively into her long blonde hair as she looked down at the metal table. Lydia Oakley had been there taking photographs. She remembered Stillman mentioning how it had annoyed the crap out of the two sisters. How Lydia had commented this was her only chance at having a big wedding because her oldest daughter had an irregular dating pattern.

So could it be that Lorenzo was lying?

If he was, why would he blame it on his mother-in-law? Why would he want to destroy Hattie even more than that had already happened? She'd already lost her two siblings. Her father was on death row. Her mother was all she had left of a family she grew up with but her husband claimed that he'd seen her enter the vestry later with her partner of the time.

"Lily, what's wrong?" Lily looked up at her boss, her arms crossing over her chest as she propped her chin against where they joined up together.

"It doesn't add up, boss."

"How d'ya mean?"

"Think about it? Lydia Oakley had been in the vestry taking photos. How can she magically walking back into the vestry with her partner."

"Her partner was going to be late. He'd been working late."

"That doesn't mean she butchered them."

"Lily, why are you determined it's not Lydia?"

"Because that's not how a mother is to her children! How can she be laughing and joking with them one minute and then butchering them the next minute?" She looked at him. "It's not humanly possible. It's always one or the other, boss."

"Not everyone was like your mom, Lily."

"Look at how well Hattie came out. You can't say her mother didn't love and care for her."

"Hattie and her mother hated each other." Stillman pointed out before standing up. "I'm afraid you're going to have to put your beliefs aside, Rush, because Jeffries and Valens have gone to the airport to pick them up."

"What?"

"They're our last stop, Rush."

***

The man and woman laughed as they moved through the checkout, they looked around for their daughter and stopped dead when they saw her stood with two men. She pointed them out to them and the two men moved towards them.

"Mr and Mrs Collins?"

"Yes." Graham said looking at them, his hand holding out in a friendly gesture.

"We need you to come with us."

"You're still trying to clean my ex husband's name."

"We do have evidence to believe that he might not be the culprit."

"Your evidence is talking rubbish! Jake killed my step-children in cold blood!" Graham Collins spat before turning to look at Hattie. He should have known she was the meddler. He'd always disliked his oldest step-daughter.

"How could you do this, Hattie?"

"Someone wrote to me!" She begged as Jeffries led them away. Hattie watched them go, tears falling down her cheeks.

***

At the police station, Jake Oakley had already arrived and was sat down at Lily's desk. "You're going to be a free man in a few hours."

"I don't think anyone would like that, Miss Rush."

"I don't think so. Hattie really wanted your name cleared."

"So why did she never visit me?"

"Shame eats us in many ways. I'm sure she'd love you to be a grandad to her child when she gets out."

"She has a child?"

"Yes." Lily said seeing the happiness in his eyes and squeezing his hand before watching the door open.

Lorenzo nodded his head as he passed his father-in-law as he was directed into Stillman's office by Vera.

Lily met Vera outside. "Where are we going with this?"

"We hope to scare the actual perp into talking."

***

Graham and Lydia were led into the precinct. Lydia's eyes clashed with her ex-husbands and she found herself smiling at him. He still looked as handsome as ever. He looked even better due to him no longer being on the booze. She looked away and knew that she was going to be interrogated.

Her husband squeezed her hand. "Be strong."


	10. Letter Sender

Lorenzo sat in Stillman's office, his fists banging against the window. "I want to see Harriet!" He called knowing how upset his wife would be. Jake looked over at him from Lily's desk and turned to look at Lily.

"Where is Hattie?"

"Here." A timid voice behind him spoke and Lily found herself smiling as she stared at Hattie. Jake turned in the chair to see Hattie stood there holding hands with a pretty little girl that was the spitting image of her mother.

"Hattie…"

"Dad." She whispered softly before looking down at her daughter. "I need to see Lorenzo first."

"I understand." Hattie smiled at the man before taking him into her arms.

***

Lydia Collins sat in the interrogation room, her hands strangling each other after witnessing the reunion between the father and daughter.

"My ex-husband killed my children."

"Why don't you stop with all this crap?" Scotty demanded as he sat down across from her knowing that this would be more weird for her. "I mean, Jake was a drunkard. He struggled to get dressed in a minute let alone stab his children so many times you could hardly recognise them."

"You've not spoken to Dale about this, have you?"

"Hattie asked us not to disturb him."

"I thought not. How could he live if he knew that the killer was still prowling."

"I thought Jake was the killer?" Scotty added sarcastically before biting his lip gently as he waited for her response.

"Don't try to be cute. It's not a fetching look for you cops."

"What happened to your children, Lydia?"

"They were murdered for selfish reasons."

"Explain?"

"My husband wanted me to move away with him but I wouldn't because I had my children here." She sighed. "Hattie hated me. She'd never really been on the same side as me but Lucy and Benjamin were my angels. They depended on me for everything and I couldn't leave them."

"Lydia what happened?"

"He said he'd find a way to make sure that I'd leave…"

"Who?"

"Graham!"

_Lydia moved out of his arms because she could see that Lucy was close to leaving. The kids had never really got used to the idea that their mother and father were over. They didn't want to believe that Lydia had moved on already into the arms of what they called "a greasy pig". Lydia tried her best to hide her relationship away from them._

_After saying goodbye to Lucy, she turned to look at him. "You have to stop doing that. You know they hate it."_

"_They'll need to get used to it when I whisk you away to marry you."_

"_I'm not going anywhere, Graham. My children need me here."_

"_Why do they? Hattie doesn't even acknowledge you! Lucy is getting married and Benjamin has his own group of friends. They're grown up. They no longer need you."_

"_I don't want to leave them, Graham. Get over it." _

_Those words seemed to trigger something in his head because he took hold of her arm, his hands tightening to leave bruise marks on her upper arm. She whimpered in pain._

"_You'll come with me one way or another, Lydia. Don't you misunderstand me." He growled before leaving._

"And you've only just thought of that?"

"No." She whispered. "Recently Graham has become more and more violent towards me and he makes little comments about their murders." She looked over at him. "That's why I sent the letter to Hattie."

"You sent the letter?"

"I know Jake never did it. He worshipped his children."

Scotty leant back in his chair and looked at the woman. This woman was a wonderful piece of work but he didn't even know what her motives were anymore. Was she asking for help to get away from an abusive husband?

"You realise that you've just admitted you perverted the courts of justice?"

"That's nothing next to everything else I've done in my life, detective." Lydia sighed. "Hattie went for fourteen years believing that her father was innocent but was too ashamed to admit it because she loves Dale too much to go against what they knew. And Jake missed out on Lucy's upbringing."

Scotty finally understood that the woman was just looking for forgiveness.


	11. Dale's Distress

The doors to the precinct flew open but no one noticed until a man threw himself onto Jake Oakley. There was loud shouting off the new man but Jake just sat and took the abuse, not disturbed at what was happening to him. The gun was shaking at the man's forehead and the younger one was staring at him, frightened.

Lily lifted her gun up, aiming at the new guy. "Get off of him!"

"Dale, stop!" Hattie cried running out of the room, Lucy balancing on her hip as she looked at him with desperate pleas.

"Hattie, how could you do this to me?" Dale spat looking over at her. "How would you even consider keeping me in the dark!"

"I didn't want to give you any bad ideas or false hope."

"I had nothing at all because I knew the murdering bastard was already safely locked away in a prison cell. You're the one who decided to change that."

"He didn't do it, Dale!" The woman screamed at him, handing her daughter to her husband before moving closer towards them. "He didn't do it."

Dale turned to look at her, tears falling down his face as he shook his head. "He said he did. Why would he lie?"

"To protect you. To protect me. We wouldn't have been able to survive knowing the murdering bastard was still prowling the streets. Dad saved us from years of misery!"

"No he didn't, Hattie. You spent years searching. You knew and lied to me."

"Dale, I never lied to you!" She whispered taking a step forward again, her hand resting on his shoulder. "I love you too much to lie to you!" She whispered tears fall down her cheeks as she shook her head. "That's why we didn't tell you anything. We knew you'd react like this."

"We?" He looked over at his shoulder and smiled at Lorenzo. "Ah, hubby is here too!"

"Dale, please don't take away the last part of my family." She whispered looking at him, her eyes showing how much she needed her dad to survive. "I want him to get to know Lucy. I want him to live a life he should have had."

"He deserves to die, Hattie. I actually want to be the one who delivers the lethal injection."

"He didn't fucking do it, Dale!" She screamed one last time before yanking the gun out of his hand and handing it to Lily. "Just stop!" She pleaded shaking her head, her hands taking hold of his cheeks as she looked at him. "It'll soon be over."

"It'll never be over because I'm not with her anymore, Hattie. Do you know what I really wanted to do. I really wanted to press that damned gun against my chin and blow my brains out because it will save me from living in this hellhole."

"Don't say that!" She whispered pressing a small kiss against his lips before pulling him into a bear hug. "I can't lose everyone, Dale."

Lily moved the gun out of the way before looking at Stillman, her hands trembling as she bit back tears.

"We need to solve this case boss."

"You bet we do." He grumbled before wiping his brow with sweat, his eyes never ripping away from the couple. How he could remember the both that day sat on one of the church pews.

_Stillman finished quizzing them and stood up, heading over to his boss before noticing something. Hattie took hold of Dale's face in her hands and kissed him lightly, "We'll get through this together." _

_"I don't know if i can." He whispered back before kissing her cheek gently, pulling her against him so that they were hugging. _

_Stillman__ knew that it was the way they showed their friendship. He'd been told by her mother that they'd all been close, you didn't know who was dating who at times because Hattie and Dale were inseperable. He could see the pain in both of their faces and he didn't know what he'd do if he didn't solve this case. He immediately looked way._

Which is what he did that exact moment because it brought back memories of sliding the box on the shelves unsolved.


	12. Simple Jealousy

Slamming into the interrogation room, Lily sat down across from Graham Collins with the folder in her hands as she shook her head. "It must have hurt."

The man just coldly continued looking at her, his face showing that he had no idea what it was she was going on about and when he raised his eyebrows to show that he didn't know what he was on about, Lily felt like moving forwards and throttling him. "I don't know what you're talking about, Detective Rush."

"I think you do, Mr Collins." Lily whispered as she controlled her hatred. "How much did it hurt when your partner chose her three kids over you?"

"She didn't choose her three kids over me."

"No she didn't get the chance because someone murdered the two who would have actually wanted her to stay!"

"What are you insinuating, Detective?" Lily just raised her eyebrows as she leant back in her chair and shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know, Mr Collins. What do you believe I am insinuating?"

"You can't prove anything, Detective."

Lily looked at him as she smiled lightly. She'd never make him believe that she knew that because that made his game easy. Sighing, she opened the folder in front of her and twisted it round so that he could see it.

Facing him was the crime scene images taken by the police fourteen years ago of the two young adults. The wedding dress that had once made Lucy glow no longer appeared to be white but a horrible pink colour because of the amount of dried blood. Benjamin's face was badly smashed in and he didn't look like him. You wouldn't know it was him if you didn't know it had been him in there.

Graham looked at the photos for a few moments, his eyes flickering with an emotion Lily recognised before he harshly pushed them away.

"Those photos don't do anything to me detective because I have to live with that image every single day of my life."

"Why did you do it, Graham?"

Something flickered in Graham's eyes as he looked down at his hands. "I loved Lydia more than anything in the whole world. There was just something about her that made my heart beat and made me feel like a child again. No matter what I did though, she struggled to understand that I needed her more than her own children did. She was always thinking of them."

"They were her children!"

"I was her new partner, the man she planned on marrying but wouldn't do as I say because she wanted to be with them."

"So was killing them your only option?"

"It wasn't my original plan. I could just remember that last time I had spoken to them as a three..."

_He entered the small cafe and saw the four of them sat around having a chatter, a fifth man hovering over them with his arm wrapped around Hattie – he would later learn that this was Lorenzo but this was the first time he'd met him – as he slowly approached the table. The conversation quickly ended and he smiled at them before looking at the guy standing. "This is family business, do you not mind leaving?"_

"_Funny place for family business, pal." The guy cheekily commented before moving at the slight pressure Hattie had applied to his hand. _

_Pulling up a chair, Graham sat down at the table and looked around at the four faces that were waiting patiently for him to start talking and when he didn't, Hattie piped up. "What can we do for you, Graham?"_

"_I wanted to wish the love birds good luck on their wedding next week."_

"_And you couldn't do it on the day?" Lucy snapped looking over at her sister, her head resting on Dale's shoulder._

_Graham knew that the younger siblings didn't like him due to some stupid dream of theirs that their mother and father would one day get back together. It was only really Hattie that realised that nothing happened like they did in fairytales. _

"_I want to talk to you guys about talking to your mum."_

"_What about?"_

"_I want to marry her and take her abroad with me but she won't."_

"_Because she has us to worry about." Benjamin finally voiced before looking over at the man, a coy smile gracing his face as he wrapped his arms around his chest._

"_Exactly."_

"_So what do you want us to do about that, Graham?" Lucy asked looking over at him and Graham immediately knew that this wasn't going to be easy as he first imagined. _

"_I want you to convince her that you no longer need her and you'll survive without her." _

_That was when Lucy just laughed at him and flicked back her long brown hair before standing up and leaning over so she was in his face. "That would be too easy for you, Graham. And over my dead body will you take my mother away from me, my siblings and father."_

"_She doesn't love your father anymore, Lucy."_

"_Dear Graham, even if she doesn't love father she'll always love us three and its us three you need on your side and that will never happen because we basically hate you."_

"_Lucy..." Hattie warned lightly but Graham could tell that Hattie silently agreed with what her sister was saying. _

"_That's being slightly selfish, do you not think Lucy?"_

"_What by keeping our mother here with us?" She stood up, considered her answer and then shook her head. "No. I don't see a problem with it." She commented before leaving the cafe, Dale following behind like a small lapdog._

_He turned to look at the two remaining children before watching them both look away. "Guys."_

"_Graham, you have to realise I agree with Lucy. We need our mother." Benjamin shrugged into his jacket and left._

_The guy who had been sent away walked over and wrapped his arms around Hattie before whispering something in her ear that made her glare at him before pushing him away as she stood up. She looked down at Graham._

"_You have to realise that those two have always depended on mother being there so... The only way they'll survive without each other is if one of them goes in a box."_

"So you killed your girlfriend's children because they wouldn't let her go."

"They were being childishly unreasonable!"

"So what struck your anger off in the moment?"

"I have nothing more to say."

***

"She helped him do it boss." Lily commented as she stepped out of the interrogation room and wasn't shocked when she saw him nodding in agreement.

"Yeah. I have that feeling too." He said looking over at where Hattie was still holding Dale close to her.

"I want a confession. Sooner rather than later." He commented before heading over to them.


	13. Finally The Truth

She moved into the interrogation room again and sat down, a knowing smile on her face as she looked over at the weeping mother. "You're an amazing actress, Mrs Collins."

The woman looked at Lily through her tears, her fingers fidgeting in her lap as she shook her head. "I don't understand what you mean, detective." She said with a hint of ice in her tone.

"You killed your children in cold blood just so you could run away to hotter climates to be with a man you hardly know."

"How dare you!"

Lily slammed her hands down on the table before slowly curling them into fists as she glared at her, "Don't you dare bother denying it to me, Lydia."

"It's Miss Collins."

"No. It's not. A few days ago I walked into a prison cell to speak to a Mr Oakley, he coldly told me not to call him that because the minute you are placed into an orange suit and handcuffs you lose all rights. He believes he deserves to lose all his human rights for something you and your husband did so you could be happy in a new life!"

The woman's tears fell faster as she slammed her hands on the table, "It wasn't like that. It was never like that!"

"Well what was it like, Lydia? We're dying to know because it's only fair. I mean for fourteen years your surviving daughter has been asking why. Your ex husband has been locked away in a prison charged with a crime he knows he didn't commit all because the woman he loved told him to plead guilty." Lily took a breath before shaking her head. "You've been playing a serious game over the years, Lydia."

"We were just supposed to be convincing them that my going away would be good for the family. Hattie and I had never been really close so she wasn't being stubborn. She'd have personally driven me to the airport and waved me off if I'd have given her the chance. She was a daddy's girl through and through." The woman stopped talking before sobbing once more, "But they were so damned difficult."

_As she entered the vestry she saw how shook up Lucy and Benjamin was at the guy's departure. "Who is that?"_

"_Just a friend of Benjamin's, mother." Lucy's eyes had narrowed as she looked over at Graham stood behind her mother, "You weren't invited."_

"_I invited him Lucy dear. He is technically your father now." Lydia said in a sickly sweet voice as she looked over at Benjamin, his face as pale as Lucy's. "Graham could sort that guy out if he is causing you any hassle?"_

"_Graham couldn't get himself out of a fucking paper bag." Lucy spat angrily as she held out her hand towards Benjamin. "Mother, it appears you've picked your side perfectly. Hattie was right about you. You only ever did care about yourself. As long as you are happy no one else matters."_

"_Don't talk to your mother like that!"_

"_Don't talk to Lucy like that Graham because it's worth more than your life is." Benjamin threatened through gritted teeth as he looked over at him, his hands clenching into fists as he stared at him. "You're not our father. And you're not taking our mother out of the country. It's simple as."_

"_Listen. It makes more sense for me to leave. You'll always have Harriet."_

"_Hattie is our sister not our mom!" Lucy whispered shaking her head in disgust that her mother could even think about such a thing. "You're our mom and you should stay here with us instead of acting like a stupid love sick fool who has just found her first crush." Lucy looked over at Graham before smiling. "He'll get bored of you eventually, Lydia. Why go for an old model when he can have someone like me?"_

"_I beg your pardon?"_

"_Do you know how many times this creep has tried to get into my knickers? Tried to convince me to leave Dale for him?" She laughed as she looked at her mother, her eyebrows raised in mock distaste. "You must be really bad in the sack for him to be wanting to do that."_

"_How dare you talk to me like that!"_

_Lydia didn't even know why she was still carrying the old kitchen knife around with her, she wasn't afraid that Jake would come up behind her anymore and try to convince her that it was the best way all round for them to get back together. The knife went through her dress and pierced her flesh, a spurt of crimson liquid seeped out attacking Lydia's hand and ruining the beautiful white lace._

_As the knife withdrew, Lucy moved forward and covered the bleeding. Her face already going deathly pale. "Mom!" She whispered as tears fell down her cheeks._

"_Mom!" Benjamin cried moving towards Lucy. Before Lydia even had time to react, Graham had taken the knife off of her and was attacking them both. _

_Eventually they fled the scene, crashing into Jake who didn't even notice what they looked like as they tore free. _

"It was horrible looking at them there." She whispered gently as she looked over at Lily. "I didn't even mean to hurt her because I loved them all so much." She closed her eyes gently. "Every Christmas I look at little Lucy and try to imagine the children Lucy and Dale would have had. I try to imagine the pretty wife our Benjamin would have married because she'd stolen his heart. Instead I get one visit a year off my surviving daughter and maybe the odd cold call. She hates me still."

"She'll hate you even more now."


	14. Goodbyes

The mother was lead out of the office in handcuffs; Lily could catch a glimpse of the woman that she had once been the fun loving woman that her children had all worshipped. That had been a good time for them all but they knew that the pain was all over at last.

Lily watched as Dale and Hattie saw Lydia being taken out, Hattie let out a strangled cry and Dale just started swearing because he was angry at what his mother-in-law had done. He'd always loved Lydia because of everything she'd done for him. Together they held onto each other, tears falling down their cheeks as they tried to find something to say that would comfort the other.

Restraints gone, Jake Oakley stood up and wrapped his arms around the two children. Dale stiffened against him before throwing his arms around him, Hattie being pushed out of the way but she didn't actually mind because that meant she could hold onto Lorenzo. Her daughter latching onto her hands.

Lily couldn't help but stand back and wonder what would have gone differently if the two younger siblings had lived. Would Lucy have allowed Hattie to marry the creep that had stalked her all her teenage years? Would Dale be an alcoholic still or would his life be too perfect? Would Benjamin have escaped his drugs and lived a normal life with a woman he loved and children?

Even more importantly, would their parents have been reunited?

She watched as Jake moved over and took hold of Lydia's hands in his. Something in his eyes made Lydia look away before smiling gently. "I love you." She mouthed before being taken away. Dale and Hattie both took hold of the crumbling man's hands and smiled at him. At last they could be a family.

***

Jake knelt down at the graves of his two children, his hand rubbing off some dirt that had landed on Lucy's gravestone before being helped back up by Lorenzo. He wrapped his arms around her daughter and kissed her temple, "I am so happy to be back here with you." He whispered before turning round to look at John Stillman.

"I can't believe you would do this for your wife..." Stillman muttered before sighing as he looked over at Hattie, his hand stroking her cheek. "I'm glad it's finally solved though."

"Me too..." Hattie stopped. "Just not the results I wanted to find out though. I didn't want it to be a family member."

"I know." He whispered before looking over at Lily. "Not everything goes our way, Hattie." He finished off before leaving freezing as he noticed Benjamin and Lucy stood together, holding hands in their wedding finery. They smiled brightly at him before looking over his shoulder at the way Jake was tickling Lucy as he carried her out of the graveyard.

Satisfied with what they saw the two kids turned and started to walk away before vanishing.

Lily squeezed his arm. "I'm glad we solved this one. Just for Hattie."

"Me too."

**A/N:: That's the end of this fanfiction. I would like to thank everyone who reviewed the storyline, sure gives you inspiration :)**


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